Sliding through life

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Sunday Signs

I saw this poor tattered flag the other day when I took my car to have the oil changed and my tires rotated. I think they are way past needing a new one!

I have been getting ready for Blogstock so this will be my last post until after that. If you are coming I hope to see you there. If you aren't going to be there then you will miss a lot of fun and I wish you were going!

In the meanwhile do have a wonderful July 4th!! There will be lots of pictures when I get back!!

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Visiting the Garden

Today I drove out to a friends house to buy some green beans, summer squash, zucchini, and new potatoes. I had not been out to her house before. She and her husband grow 4 acres of produce on their farm. They sell there at home and at the local Farmer's Market. They have 2 ponds that they use to irrigate the gardens using drip lines.

I really loved seeing the Purple Martins that live there in these great houses they provide for them. They come back year after year. They have 60 of these houses for the birds to live in! You can see some of the birds sitting there. The very top area is just for perching also. I remember when I was a kid we always had Purple Martin houses. They eat a lot of insects, so they are very desirable to have around, especially a garden area.

My friend and her husband were busy putting up more twine for the beans to run up. The amount of work is just amazing but it's a beautiful sight to see. I really enjoyed seeing their garden. I leave you with some more pictures from the gardens.

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Sunday Sign

Friday, June 20, 2008

SUPERSTITIONS

I was thinking about some of the superstitions that we were told about when I was growing up. To tell you the truth, I never did think too much about them being for real, but sometimes you just didn't want to take a chance!My Mom was the one who mentioned these things mostly and reminded us of them. Here's a few that I can recall right off.1. Playing with fire will make you wet the bed. We had an open fireplace and what fun to poke around in it sometimes with the poker. Maybe this was one way to encourage us to quit, as no one wanted to wet the bed. 2. If a snapping turtle bit you it wouldn't let go until it thundered. We certainly steered clear of them. Can you imagine carrying a turtle around hanging from your arm, hand, or leg until it thundered! Rather an annoying thing to have as extra weight. Stinky and muddy too. 3. If your nose itches then someone is coming to visit. 4. When you entered the house you had to be sure and leave by the same door you came in.5. If your right hand itched you were going to get money. I forget what the left one itching meant, but I'm sure it meant something!5. Never were we allowed to go outside with a wet head, for fear we would catch a cold.6. If a woman was pregnant she was never to look at anything scary or it might mark the baby. If she were frightened badly by something, such as a snake, storm, or anything, this could potentially mark the baby.7. If you were female and single and someone swept under your feet you would never get married. 8. If a pocket knife was opened it had to be closed by the same person who opened it or it would be bad luck.9. No singing at the table or it was bad luck.10. If someone gives you a live plant you are not supposed to thank them for it, or it will die.Did you grow up with any superstitions in your family?

Another Sunday Sign...a bit late....

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Sunday Sign

A neighbor had a partial tree down from yesterday's storm. Her nephew was getting rid of it for her, so I got him to do ours as well. He and his brother worked together this evening and got part of it done. They will be back Monday or Tuesday to finish it. It sure looks strange out there now with the one tree gone.

Friday, June 13, 2008

FRIDAY THE THIRTEENTH

I really didn't think much about Friday the 13, but the day started off rough with my husband being confused. He started in at 7:00 a.m. calling for me. Normally at that time I'm still sleeping soundly. He said there was a horse in his bedroom. There was no convincing him otherwise. I was just thinking last night that it has been a pretty good while since he has had one of these confused times. I knew when I thought that, that I should bite my tongue! I'm hoping he'll wind down soon and go to sleep but there are no signs of it yet.

Earlier today I did go to the grocery and I saw this patch of newly planted tobacco, so I stopped for a picture.

Tonight I made us hamburgers for supper. I had fed my husband and I had just sat down to eat mine when I head it thunder and noticed how dark the clouds were. Soon the hamburger was forgotten as the wind was so hard.

Last week I went out in the country to visit our choir director that our church let go after 21 years. That's another story and one that made, and still makes, some of us very mad and sad!! Anyway, there was 3 of us that went to visit them and we sat on their front porch and the cicada's were everywhere and the trees were loaded with them! You could certainly hear them well there!!

When I mowed my lawn last Friday I had several that flew and landed on me.

Here's more pictures of my hens and chicks taken just a few minutes ago. I really think that once these all bloom that they will die. In the second picture you can see that it's beginning to get blooms down the stem now. I found one searching Google and there was one pictured like this and it said those would dye after blooming. So we shall see. Certainly interesting for me to see this neat process though and the blooms are so pretty!!

I'm still working on making arrangements getting ready to go to Blogstock! I got my plane ticket and it will be my first time flying! I'm sure I'll be a bit nervous about that but looking forward to it as a new adventure for me. Sure will be nice to meet some of my blogging friends!

Saturday, June 07, 2008

A Whole Week

A whole week has passed and I meant to get a post in, but it never happened. It's been really hot with highs in the 90's. Sweating is just something you do. You don't even have to work to raise a sweat. Just step outside. I am so thankful for air conditioning!

I have been making some arrangements so that I can make it to Blogstock I have been really looking forward to that and getting to meet everyone. I might even get to ride on a float and toss candy and do the wave like the Queen does!! Guess I better practice a bit.

I bought some fresh strawberries from a local farm. I made some freezer jam from some of them. They are so good. The store bought ones just don't even compare!! Just pop one of these fresh ones in your mouth and enjoy the flavors!! Yum-yum!!

Here are the hens & chicks now with all the blooms that are getting ready to open. I've never seen this before and it's quite amazing to me!!

Here is this nice bloom nearly opened up most of the way earlier today.

Here is the flower fully opened to the sun!! I have never seen hens and chicks bloom like this before and most definitely never this color! I just wonder if it will die after this...I mean that one particular hen/chick that these blooms are on? Does anyone know??

I went down to the farm to feed the stray cats on Thursday. I put the food and water in and then as I was leaving there was a baby bird right beside my car door. I picked it up and said, "What are you doing here in the very worse place you could possibly be with 12 cats only just inside the barn!" No, it didn't answer. It perched onto my lap and sat there quietly as I drove home. It only pooped on me once. I put it in a box in the basement so my cats couldn't get to it. It had all its feathers and it could fly several feet and it didn't seem hurt in any way. I kept it overnight and yesterday I took it to Burnside Island and took it into a wooded area and let it go. It went hopping merrily along. I think it'll be okay now. I sure hope so. I have no idea what kind of bird it was. Right across from where I turned it loose is the new golf course that opened in May. As hot as it was that place was busy! Golf carts were buzzing all over the place and I saw the golfers wiping sweat with towels. I thought they must really love to golf to be out there in that heat.

SUNDAY SIGN

(I don't think I've posted this one before, so forgive me if I have!). Please??